FEBRUARY 2021 A couple of weeks ago the Kirk Session met for Dear All, coffee, on Zoom of course, and we talked a little I hope that this letter finds you about last year and our hopes for this year, and one well and that you managed to of the things we want to do is work with others in the have the best Christmas and New village to help create the opportunity for everyone to Year possible. come together and celebrate: maybe a picnic on the beach with games and competitions; maybe a At the beginning of this month, I barbeque with some music and dancing; maybe spent a bit of time reminiscing something completely new, but something to bring and read some of the church us together to banish the difficulties we’ve all magazines from my previous experienced and give us new hope. parishes of Comrie and Dundurn. While it was great to look back and remember the good Jesus’ life was one of regularly gathering together times, it also made me feel very sad because I can’t write a with friends and celebrating. And He told His similar Pastoral letter reflecting the joy we had all shared followers that He, as the Good Shepherd, came so through the great variety of gatherings to celebrate the that we may have life - life in all its fullness. And life birth of our Saviour, Jesus. Although we had a wonderful in its fullness has been severely lacking this past year. Christingle Service in the church and gathered to sing So, hopefully, once restrictions are reduced, or Christmas Carols, on Zoom, last year was just so very removed, we will be able to come together, on different. Church life was different; family life was different; various occasions, to celebrate as we once did. Only significant events were compromised; and Advent and this time, we will celebrate in fullness because we will Christmas celebrations were diminished; all because of not take the experience for granted. coronavirus. Please be assured that all the residents of Fairlie And, here we are at the beginning of 2021, still in lockdown, Village are held in prayer before our Lord. And so, with a tragic milestone being reached with more than until the time comes when we are, once more, able 100,000 people losing their lives to this awful virus. But we to live life in all its fullness, able to meet openly and can’t give up and we cant give in. We need to find ways to freely with one another, and celebrate the common lift our spirits and support one another because life is for life we share, I pray that you will enjoy good health, living. So, what are we going to do with the year ahead? both mental and physical. Well, I hope, celebrate. Yours in Christ. FAIRLIE PARISH CHURCH - PRAYER & PRAISE , On-Line Sundays 0945 & Wednesday Evening 1800 Sunday, Readings, Hymns, Prayer, and a Thought for the Day Wednesday, A Short Service JOIN US via the FAIRLIE CHURCH FACEBOOK PAGE or later on the FAIRLIE CHURCH WEBSITE Happy New Year to all our I read this story recently in 'A Bucket of Surprises' knitters. What a year 2020 and it brought home to me just how much this was! I have really missed the pandemic and its restrictions can affect us - how fellowship of our wee group much we miss the human touch and hugging our and know others have too. So grandchildren and friends. I'd just written the much has happened in our group over this last year and I Messy Church piece on being a child of God and miss the support of others and the chat, which in many how much God loves each of us. ways is more important than the knitting. Some have “Greg Norman is one of the most ice-cold golfers been in hospital and are undergoing therapy, others have had to care 24/7 for loved ones, another looked on the circuit. He learned this from his father. ' I after a loved one with covid 19, some have felt a bit low, used to see my father, getting off a plane or some have not been able to go out at all and feel something, and I'd just want to hug him,' he said especially isolated, and another has slipped on the ice once. 'But he'd only shake my hand.' and broken a shoulder bone. Please know you have not been forgotten and are in our thoughts and prayers. Norman was at the 1996 Masters, golf's most prestigious tournament, when he made these However, we have something to celebrate this month. Margaret Mears our 'sock' expert, who has never missed remarks. Norman let a six-shot lead go during the a K&N, is celebrating a special birthday. last round, losing to his great rival Nick Faldo. Faldo hit a 15 foot birdie for the winning shot. He then walked towards Norman, who tried to smile, waiting for the customary handshake. Instead, he Happy 90th Birthday found himself in a bear hug embrace from Faldo. Margaret! As they held each other, Norman began to weep. Later Norman said, “I wasn't crying because I lost. We would have had a special I've lost a lot of golf tournaments before. I'll lose a cake for you but can promise lot more. I cried because I'd never felt that from you one when we all meet again. another man before. I've never had a hug like that In the meantime, everyone keep knitting - for yourself (I've done 3 pairs of socks – hope in my life.” you are impressed, Margaret), baby hats and cardigans, May we all experience hugs when lock down is hats and scarves for the shoeboxes and if you need over and may we all experience the embrace of wool, let me know and I'll drop it off. God's love around us during this difficult time. Looking forward to seeing everyone when things will be back to more normal conditions. Stay safe,, CHRISTINGLE 2020 With partial COVID lock-down in place we were able to have limited numbers at the Christingle Service in December. Despite the depleted numbers an enjoyable time was had in the late afternoon. 2 The Guild Committee sends Best Wishes for 2021 to all our members and hopes that everyone is well and has escaped the pandemic and that you enjoyed the festive season as Despite the restrictions of most of the year, during much as possible. The good news is that some of us are now getting our 2020 the Trust awarded a grant of £480 to Organic vaccinations, so perhaps the end is in Growers of Fairlie for the provision of a wheelchair sight, though not for a little while yet. access picnic table at the Community Garden and a grant of £400 to a Bay Street resident for plant We trust that we will meet again this year, but it won't be until the autumn. Until then keep smiling, keep cheerful displays in that street. Both grants were made and keep praying. from the SSE Hunterston Community Benefit Fund. There were no other applications to the Trust for support from this fund either from Fairlie organisations or from individual Fairlie residents. For the past 10 years Carol In the spring the Trust arranged and funded the McDowell has quietly gone painting of the handrails at the Fairlie Burn footbridge. The Trust also helped facilitate the about organising the replacement of the seats along the Mounding distribution of this Newsletter. footpath. Understandably Carol has decided that the time has The Trust is very pleased to see work start on the come to stand down and hand construction of the shore path between Bay Street over to someone else. and Ferry Row – a project initiated by the Trust in 2007! Not only has Carol made sure, on a monthly basis, that the newsletters have been successfully delivered, but each September she has headed up the team that ran the annual Coffee Morning. Money raised from this event covered Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the the majority of production costs with additional official health advice provided by the UK funding from our small advertisements and from Government, Fairlie Community Trust (FCT) Church Funds. Directors have agreed to postpone the FCT So thank you Carol. Your efforts have certainly not 2021 AGM until restrictions are lifted or gone unrecognised. Sit back and enjoy the meetings can be held observing physical Newsletter when we are allowed once again to distancing rules. resume regular deliveries of the printed copy. 3 As we begin 2021, we should go cookers, plus maintenance when the four to five year forward hopefully expecting to limit trial begins next year, and customers will be paying the the world’s climate temperature same price for hydrogen as they would for natural gas. increase, now that the US President If this experiment works, it may be the answer to what Joe Biden and President Xi of China will be used to replace our present day boilers. have pledged to put the world This trial is to show that a reliable source of reliable ”within striking distance” of meeting green energy can be provided by off-shore wind. the most ambitious goal of the Paris 2016 agreement. When in Superdrug recently, I noticed that they have a collection box at the pharmacy area where used foil Previously in November, President Trump had withdrawn and blister pack medicine containers can be recycled.